Towering Presence
by Haine-chan
Summary: N is hidden in a manor far away from evil by his guardian, Ghetsis, but one fateful day, he finds his way outside. He soon discovers that a looming civil war threatens to pit the two twin regents of opposing kingdoms against one another. As N learns the true motives behind his imprisonment, he also finds a darker side to the freedom he so desires. Retelling of "Rapunzel/Tangled".


Chapter 1

Sol Perennis

An array of colours washed over the milky horizon. Blues mingled with purples and oranges, creating a delightful mosaic in the sky. The painter of said work was of course anonymous, as usual, but the witness of said work was not. Rather, the man was quite the opposite. He very much liked to frequent the sky, watching the painter as he did what he pleased with his ever changing canvas. He never gave suggestions; no, no, that was the artist's decision alone. Instead, he smiled as the colours faded and moved with the winds of the world, deciding on which creation he favoured the most. In each dream the man had, the sky was always different. As most artists prefer to have a varied background of media, his dreams liked the idea of never having the same setting. So, the man would have to make do with the tall mountains and their snowy peaks or perhaps the dewy grass of the valley. Either way, he was more than happy to fly above such a beautiful landscape.

Each time his mind dipped into the pallet of colour, he made sure to spread his arms wide, like the wing of a bird. That allowed for a more even air flow to pass by and that in turn ensured a very pleasant journey. His tea green hair always flew behind him, but never got in his face, for the wind was always blowing towards him. His green eyes were constantly combing through his surroundings, trying to find new quirks that hid beneath the surface. The higher he flew, the smaller the ground below him became. He was certainly not afraid of heights; rather, he was afraid of the beautiful world disappearing from his view. But that never happened.

He could feel the sun's warmth spreading over his body, illuminating his body with its bright rays. The feeling this world gave him was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He could fly freely without the constraints of the world. He could relax and breathe in the sweet smell of the wild flowers that dotted the hilsides. He fell weightless, almost.

He had never felt so free before.

In this instant, though, he saw that the sun was the closest it had ever been to him. Never before had he been able to take in the breathtaking sight of the sky's sunset at such a close distance. How vivid were the swatches of purple that streaked across the faint pinks and yellows! How easy it was to inhale the intoxicating smell of nature! It would only be a matter of seconds until he collided with the stunning picture that lay before him. The man extended his arm outwards, fingers groping forward at the chance to touch the handsome hues. The sun's rays were blinding now, but he didn't care. He knew it would not harm him, only heighten his senses.

_"N!" _

The man bolted upright in bed, his eyes opening wide. His breath was hurried and his hands were shaking. Taking in the familiar sights of his bedroom, he sighed, knowing his time of flight had come to an end once more.

The dream always ended abruptly, but he had never been able to get so close to the sun before. The warmth, the feeling of pure freedom—it had been so fleeting, but so invigorating. How had he come so far? He couldn't explain it—which in and of itself frustrated him to no end—but he knew that someday he would devise a formula to properly describe his blissful state.

Shaking his head, he turned back the covers of his bed and opened the curtains of the bay window. The sun's rays beat down on him, welcoming him to the new day. This sun's warmth was not nearly as comforting as the one in his dreams though, and the man began to redraw the curtains. He did not close them all the way, though, like he usually did. Instead, he let a tiny sliver of sunlight cascade onto his floor, spilling its bright contents on his carpet. He smiled slightly, knowing that if there was a miscalculation in his dream, then there was certainly some room for error in his day to day life.

As the man began to dress himself, he caught himself looking through the curtains at the sun. He always compared it to the bright orb that smiled at him in his dreaming state, but today an unexpected thought popped into his head. As he stared, his eyebrows furrowed at the sudden onslaught of change in his formulaic schedule.

_Even if it is just my subconscious playing tricks on me, my dream only inspires me to experience it in reality._

**A/N: Yes, yes, boring and short first chappie, as usual. Although I am certainly proud of my descriptions all up in here. Next time promises a heart-to-heart with Father Ghetsis! I hope you enjoyed it, and be sure to stay tuned! (Also 'sol perennis' means endless sky. I'll be naming every chapter in Latin, for further reference).**


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